Destructoid

The Wonderful 101 arrived back in 2013 on Wii U, but you can't keep a good squad down, as the Wonder Team will unite again on PC, PS4 and Switch in May of this year.

The impetus for this re-release is none other than a Kickstarter campaign by Platinum Games, which just recently closed down with a final ceremony stream on Twitch. But what about those stretch goals? Did any money trickle through to get them over one last hump? As it turns out, it did.

By way of a message from director Hideki Kamiya on Kickstarter, it looks like they eked out the orchestral recording goal of $2.25 million thanks to "revenue from Twitch that [they] earned during [their] closing stream." According to Kamiya the orchestral soundtrack will hit the final edition of the re-release, but it looks like they did not hit their final $2.5 million "new language" goal. Close enough!

It seems as if this Kickstarter story will end well for everyone, as it wasn't really a years-off Kickstarter for an unplanned project: but a pre-order system for something that was already finished to "gauge interest."

A Word from Our Director [Kickstarter]

It's here. Today finally sees the launch of Team Ninja's epic adventure sequel Nioh 2, now available to purchase exclusively on PlayStation 4. As noted by our own Jordan Devore in his review, it's certainly something special, blending a vibrant world - filled with stunning visuals - with deep and satisfying combat mechanics.

But how does such a modern-day classic come together? Obviously it takes the creativity and passion of a huge team of talented individuals, working toward a singular vision of the final product. And this is the theme exemplified in Inside Nioh 2, a new Archipel and Game Spark produced documentary, recently released to celebrate the sequel's launch.

Featuring lots of production footage, along with interviews with project figureheads such as Director Fumihiko Yasuda, Audio Director Yojiro Yoshimatsu, Art Director Hirohisa Kaneko, and even voice actor Naoto Takenaka, the one-hour video looks at the production of the sword and sorcery sequel, and the work involved in moving the project from conception to reality.

Nioh 2 is available now on PS4.

Although there hasn't been new DLC content for a while now, Assassin's Creed Odyssey just got a patch that bumped the game up to version 1.5.3.

The patch wholly involves bug fixes, mostly dealing with an RX 5700 crash issue, as well as a notification UI problem that's been lingering for a while, and a Spanish-centric language bug. It's not all that exciting on its own, but the patch is also the harbinger for a new outfit that should spice the game up for old school AC fans.

According to Twitter account AccessTheAnimus, the patch is teasing the arrival of the "Ezio's Roman Set" (which can be worn by Alexios and Kassandra), as well as the "Milanese Sword." Naturally this pair is repping Ezio, who was in numerous Assassin's Creed games. These bits of content can allegedly be earned for free by "participating in select community activities," so we don't really have the rundown yet on how to nab them.

Either way, more Odyssey support, no matter how small, is a good thing.

AccessTheAnimus [Twitter]

There's still a couple of weeks to go before the western release of expanded JRPG Persona 5 Royal, which gives publisher Atlus enough time to squeeze in... oooh, at least three more trailers. This example, "Change the World," gives us a preview of the moment where new gal Kasumi Yoshizawa finally gives in to her inner fury.

During the brief preview, we see similar moments of clarity for Phantom Thieves Joker, Makoto, Yusuke, and Ann. These are instances where the character's frustration and fury at society's misdeeds boil over, unleashing their innermost desire for justice, manifesting in the form of powerful demons - persona - which fuse with their host to imbue them with fantastical skills and abilities.

In case you missed it, Square Enix is going hog wild when it comes to Final Fantasy VII Remake's marketing. The timed PS4 exclusive is all over the place, with candy bar schemes and Final Fantasy XIV joint ownership promotions. There's three more tied into promos of sorts on the way.

Announced by way of the Final Fantasy VII Remake Twitter account, a dynamic PS4 theme is coming that's Sepiroth-focused. The only way to get it right now is to pre-order Remake on Amazon, and it seems like the offer is extended to the US, "various retailers" in Europe and Amazon Japan. Square also provided a pretty good look at the theme via the video below, which showcases how dynamic it really is. Midgar is burning!

The publisher also announced through their western Twitter account that more themes are coming. You can net one (key art of the crew on a Midgar bridge) by downloading the demo before May 11, and the second (the Cloud box art) will be "available for free to all PS+ users soon." That's a lotta themes! And a lot of hoops to jump through for a few of them.

Final Fantasy VII Remake [Twitter]

[Update: As of today, Serebii.net reports that the bug has relaxed the requirements for the Magearna gift. Now all you need is a National Pokedex, but not a "Living" 'Dex. In other words, you don't need every Pokemon to be in the app at the same time, so long as you have credit for owning it at some point.]

If you recall, some folks reported last month that they were netting a free special Magearna in Pokemon Home for completing the National 'Dex. Several people thought it was a hoax, but as it turns out, many of those reports are legit, and the mystery has been solved. It was glitched.

As reported on the Pokemon Home app, there will be a downtime-related maintenance period this Friday from 8:30PM ET to 3:00AM ET the next day. During that time the powers that be will be pushing out an update that allows players who have met the requirements to obtain their gift.

The update mentions the "original color" Magearna, so if you got a different one (which has happened to some), you should be compensated accordingly. It's a bit of a wonky start for Pokemon Home, but all things considered things could have been more catastrophic. Hopefully everyone will get their gift if they went through the effort of paying and transferring their full 'Dex.

Pokemon Home [Serebii.net]

Remedy has released a short and suitably weird clip teasing the first DLC expansion for its sci-fi thriller, Control. The next chapter in the reality-defying adventure will arrive on PS4 and PC March 26.

Titled "The Foundation," Remedy is not offering too much in the way of detail - which is, to be fair, the best way to go about matters concerning the weird and wonderful. The narration in the clip does imply that The Foundation will see the return of badass agent Jesse Faden, as she continues her search for the Federal Bureau of Control's Helen Marshall, who has apparently vanished into the ether.

Whether Jesse Faden, Alan Wake, or even Max Payne, Remedy sure likes putting its protagonists through the wringer physically, mentally, even spiritually. Fortunately, these heroes are almost always up to the task, and it will be great to step into the rule-breaking realms of Control once again.

Control is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One

[Update: The patch is now live, and you can read the full breakdown here. The gist is that Historic Anthology 2 is ready to go, as well as direct messaging/away social features, color challenges, a new UI for sleeves, and the low key ability to eliminate gameplay warnings. This last bit is crucial in terms of impacting the general game speed, as you can now nix annoying dialogue boxes like "are you sure you want to do this?" if you're a veteran player who knows what they're doing.]

Magic: Arena is getting a few major makeovers in March, and one of them involves Historic mode.

We covered that pretty extensively last week, but here's a recap. Arena will host the second Historic anthology set, adding a ton of legacy cards into the game and opening up the Historic gametype: which breaks the chains of standard-only [recent] cards and allows players more deckbuilding options. That update will materialize in the form of the Historic Anthology II set, as well as a series of Historic events and a Secret Vault tie-in.

In other more casual news, the friend list is getting a direct messaging feature, with "busy" or "offline" flags, similar to Battle.net or other clients. Also, according to Wizards, "until the April game update, you'll be able to earn quest progress when challenging your friends in Arena. You won't be able to use this to earn any Daily or Weekly Win rewards, but we thought it would be a nice way to celebrate the addition of direct messaging in-game"

[UPDATE: And she's sold out, folks! Good thing we're giving one away for free :) ]

In today's contest we're giving away copies of Super Rare Games' physical Switch release of Assault Android Cactus+!

Remember the last time we gave away Assault Android Cactus+? I do! It was fun. Let's do it again, yeah?

Super Rare Games has just put out a physical release for the game our very own Double-C gave a 9 upon its initial release. Since it's been available in digital format, why not win a physical copy to sit prettily upon your shelf?

One of the all-time great role-playing game strategies is to grind away at earlier content -- whether through side missions, completely exploring every area, or killing absolutely every enemy to maximize experience -- so that upcoming stages are easier. The concept of being over-leveled isn't new but Gearbox doesn't want Borderlands players unchallenged anymore.

As part of this week's round of hotfixes, Gearbox is rebalancing some of Borderlands 3's later areas so that enemies are brought up to the player's level. This specifically applies to missions on Nekrotafeyo and The Anvil. Gearbox reasons that being overly capable "trivializes those areas, as enemies were sometimes much weaker than intended for that point in the game." 

However, existing characters don't need to be concerned about this reconfiguration. Gearbox mentions that it will only affect new characters, meaning anyone you've already created won't be subject to this change. Every character created after the hotfix, though -- and that includes all the ones that will be made tomorrow when Borderlands 3 finally lands on Steam -- won't be able to dodge the balance changes.

Here's the entire patch notes for Borderlands 3's March 12 hotfix:

A Monster's Expedition – an open-world puzzle game about rolling logs to build makeshift bridges and hop between islands – looks neat. It's wholesome in a way I can really get behind, especially in 2020.

As the titular monster explorer, you'll set out to learn more about humankind. There are "hundreds of islands to visit – some right in front of you, others well off the beaten track for true puzzle lovers."

A Monster's Expedition is coming to Steam and itch.io this year from Alan Hazelden, a developer you might recognize from Cosmic Express, A Good Snowman Is Hard To Build, or Sokobond.

At the very end of the trailer, there's a glimpse of a Reverse Mermaid, a vile creature I won't ever acknowledge again except right this second, to voice my displeasure. The legs are too much!

Wishlist this, file it away in your brain, or do whatever it is you do with sweet little indie games.

Ubisoft knows people want Prince of Persia, and 2020 is all about delivering on that front. Last month, we got word that there's going to be a VR escape room built around the Sands of Time. Now, the prince is back to swinging his dagger around and murdering skeletons.

The catch? It's all within For Honor. Ubisoft has introduced a limited-time mode to For Honor that crosses over with Prince of Persia. Called "Blades of Persia," this three-week event's main draw is the new "Ruler of Time" mode. Ruler of Time is a twist on Dominion that takes place on a reskinned Harbor map where there's a tornado in the middle and sand monsters all over the place. The prince occasionally pops out of the whirlwind to kill whatever's in his way.

There are plenty of unique rewards for playing the Prince of Persia mashup. Ubisoft mentions outfits based on Ratash and Sandwraith, a Blade of Fate execution, and other customizing options like themes and emblem outlines. There are also 26 new weapons to loot.

This is only the first part of Prince of Persia's excursion into For Honor. On March 19, there will be yet another new game mode as "the prince [embraces] his evil roots, [and] eventually [transforms] into the Dark Prince." We only have to wait a week to see what that's all about.

Here's some unexpected collateral damage from the coronavirus pandemic: NBA 2K20 is endlessly simulating games until it eventually crashes under the strain of its own processing.

Let's rewind and explain. Last night, the NBA indefinitely suspended its season because of the coronavirus outbreak. Rudy Gobert, a player for the Utah Jazz, tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. Shortly after, one of Gobert's teammates also tested positive. Given that coronavirus leaves victims asymptomatic during its incubation period, it's likely that the Jazz played multiple games while its players have been infected. (Probably unrelated: Gobert made a point of mocking COVID-19 by touching reporters' microphones at a press conference a few days ago.)

The dominoes of sports in the US have fallen quickly. The NHL similarly suspended its season today. It's worth noting that the NBA and NHL share a lot of facilities across North America, so an outbreak among one player base could affect both leagues. MLB also suspended operations for the time being. The NCAA canceled its basketball tournaments. Sports in the United States basically don't exist right now.

That, evidently, extends to video games. With the NBA suspending the season, NBA 2K20 doesn't know how to interpret that previously scheduled games aren't on the schedule anymore. The culprit is the NBA Today mode which lets you start a new franchise mode from the exact day it is in real-life. However, when starting it up, NBA Today tries to simulate games that don't exist, sending it into a spiral that ends up with the game crashing.

Nioh 2 has a bunch of interlocking stats and systems that can give you a much-needed edge in combat, and one of them, in particular, is worth shouting out: you gotta stay on top of your Soul Cores. It took me way too long before I realized why my Guardian Spirit felt so weak compared to the first game.

Building off what Chris already said about activating Yokai Shift (your powered-up invincibility state) liberally, I wanted to add that you can boost your Guardian Spirit's attack and defense with Soul Cores, something that's easily overlooked for new players and easily forgotten if you don't form a habit. Soul Cores are new-to-Nioh 2 items that let you morph into enemies (!) using your purple Anima energy bar.

The basic loop goes like this: play Nioh 2 as you normally would, pick up any Soul Cores that enemies drop, bring them back to a Shrine (or just finish a level) to purify them, and open up the Manage Soul Cores option from the Shrine menu (also accessible from the Starting Point icon on the map screen).

Put another way, just get to the menu where you level up, and scroll to the left two spots.

Select "Attune Soul Core," then check out the Cores' varying levels, stats, and perks (there are video clips for each Soul Core attack) to figure out what looks best for your build and playstyle. Now, you're going to want to equip ("attune") as many Soul Cores as you can to your primary Guardian Spirit.

It happened! Another week passed us by. It's Thursday again, which means a new batch of free PC games is claimable and downloadable from the Epic Games Store. Today's lineup is a doozy. Until 8:00 a.m. Pacific on March 19, 2020, you can grab A Short Hike, Mutazione, and Anodyne 2: Return to Dust.

I don't always make the effort to add free stuff to my library – I'm sure almost all of you can say the same thing – but this isn't the time for inaction. It was worth taking three minutes to start the Epic launcher, wait for an inevitable update to download and install, and redeem these three great games.

A Short Hike, in particular, is worth playing right now if you need a pick-me-up. It's a soothing animal adventure about hanging out, chatting, finding collectibles, and scaling a mountain, and the world is just pleasant to be in. Mutazione, a small-town mutant soap opera, is a feast for the eyes. And Anodyne 2 is here for everyone who still pines for a return to PS1-era experimentation and weirdness. (Raises hand.)

Not to be hyperbolic or anything, but I genuinely think this is one of the best groups of free games in recent memory, at least on Epic. I'm sure plenty of you already picked up A Short Hike, but Mutazione and especially Anodyne 2 aren't as widely-known around here. Give 'em a shot when time allows.

Next week, from March 19 to March 26, Epic plans to give out The Stanley Parable and Watch Dogs.

Blizzard is trying to liven up Overwatch's Archives event for 2020. The in-game event runs from March 12 to April 2, and this year, there are weekly challenge missions to modify (and hopefully freshen up) three dust-covered co-op story levels: Uprising, Retribution, and Storm Rising. Is it enough?

Some of the PvE story mission shakeups include modifiers like Glass Cannon (you take and dish out more damage), Molten Cores (dead foes drop lava pools), Surgical Strike (only critical attacks inflict damage), and Blood Moon Rising (support heroes aren't allowed and you self-heal by doing damage).

If nothing else, I can see Overwatch players popping in for some quick rounds each week to earn new character skins. Nine wins is all it takes. From March 12-19, you can earn Holi Symmetra; from March 19-26, you can get Rustclad Torbjorn; and from March 26-April 2, you can unlock Bear Mei.

The other new hero skins for Overwatch Archives 2020 – which you'll either need to unbox or buy with credits – are: Aviator Pharah, King Jamison Junkrat, Militia Roadhog, Sniper Ana, and Workout Zarya.

Above all, I'm here for Jetpack Cat. I hope the big lug eventually goes beyond cameo appearances.

I've probably spent as much time in Arathi Basin, digitally, as I have in some real-life locales. I'll probably add to that running count a bit now that the battleground just hit WoW: Classic.

Just in case you haven't played WoW, Arathi Basin is one of the most iconic PVP maps in World of Warcraft, and it's joining the ranks of Warsong Gulch and Alterac Valley, which are already live in Classic. The gist is that two teams of 15 players battle it out for ownership of a quaint mountain town to the tune of Domination/Capture the Point. Points accrue resources for each team, and once a team hits 2000 resources, they win.

It made for a lot of crucial and more intimate moments, like deciding to go rogue and capture a point on your own, taking down two real-life opponents in the process and winning the game. You could move as a team, split up strategically, or shine as an individual: Arathi Basin's options made it a popular map to repeatedly play, and didn't take as long as the gigantic war-like Alterac Valley.

As a reminder, playing "AB" in Classic rewards you with Defilers (Horde) or League of Arathor (Alliance) reputation, which you can grind to exalted for rewards. I'm not sure I'll be doing that, but a few rounds here and there sound pretty cathartic.

WoW Classic: Arathi Basin Now Available [Battle.net]

Next month sees the long-delayed western release of end-of-days RPG Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories. Publisher NIS America has released a (frankly bizarre) new trailer that looks at the game's dialogue and choice system, putting our protagonist in some sticky situations in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake.

As the player's custom-made hero picks their way through the hazardous debris of the catastrophic event, they will encounter a whole range of characters in need of assistance. Perhaps it's a helpless resident, a troubled shopkeeper, overworked emergency service teams, or a shifty-looking stranger. Whatever the encounter, the player's words and actions will determine the fates of not only these individuals, but the protagonist themselves. So think fast and act smartly, the life you save could well be your own. 

Announced in late 2019 with an "early 2020" target in mind, Rock of Ages III: Make & Break is finally arriving on pretty much every major platform (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia, Switch), but not quite so "early." The official date for the third entry in the Rock of Ages series is June 2, according to a new video from developer ACE Team.

If you're at all curious about the series said video is actually worth a watch, as it sits down with a few key members of the ACE squad and drills down how the studio was formed, and what the game is about. The key difference between this iteration and the previous two is that ACE added in a level editor, so you can roll your various boulders and destroy things created by other people.

As was announced a while back, it seems as if this is the first Rock of Ages game that will not be published by Atlus/Sega. Modus Games and 3goo are handling that this time around. End of an era! I always dug that Atlus specifically (before the Sega deal went through) supported really strange and out-there games.

If you're a PC-playing Monster Hunter fan, perhaps feeling a little left out of some of the most recent content, then be glum no more. The new monsters, missions, rewards and regions that landed on PS4 and Xbox One in late 2019 are finally ready to rock on the PC platform.

The first creature that's going to kill you this month is the ferocious Stygian Zinogre. This giant - which made its debut back in 2011's Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - is a Dragon element (I'm not making that mistake again, boy howdy) beast, recognised by its spiny exterior and black-and-red palette. Drawing power from the mysterious bugs that swarm around it, the Stygian Zinogre is capable of powerful lightning-style attacks.

The Stygian Zinogre and its home territory, The Guiding Lands, will arrive on PC today.

Just in time for the western theatrical release of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, the second major arena brawler game in the My Hero Academia line is arriving this week. The other big releases include La Mulana 1 and 2.

And where back to the madness! Last week the eShop gave Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX a wide berth, as there were only 19 other competing games. This time around there's 35. The eShop is packed to the rafters! Batten down the hatches! The charts are flooded with shovelware that's discounted down to $0.99 to trick people into buying it!

The eShop is definitely overdue for an overhaul. Can we get some music, Nintendo?

Do androids dream of current-gen remasters? That's the question Nightdive Studios looks to answer with "a modern restoration" of the 1997 point-and-click Blade Runner game.

Nightdive's work on Blade Runner includes using the developer's proprietary KEX engine to modernize the game. The remaster features: "Updated character models and animations, upscaled cutscenes using machine learning algorithms, widescreen resolution support, keyboard and controller customization, and much more."

This sort of project has been Nightdive's bread and butter for a while now. Its list of re-releases over the past seven years is quite extensive. Some of the more notable ones are System Shock 2, the first two Turok games, and the upcoming Doom 64. Currently, Nightdive is also working on a remake of the original System Shock.

Blade Runner is set to launch sometime in 2020, probably near that other cyberpunk game that's releasing this year -- but no date has been announced yet. It's branching out in terms of platform, though. The 1997 Blade Runner was only available on PC; this re-release is coming to PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. If you don't feel like waiting, the original is available on GOG for $10.

Just this week Bethesda updated the official Doom Eternal launch page, which gave us all sorts of handy info for the PC edition. 4K at 60FPS or 1440p at 120FPS? Yes please. But what about console and Stadia players? Well there's good and bad news respectively.

According to Bethesda, Doom Eternal will run on Xbox One sampled-up to 4K from 1800p, but will retain 60FPS and HDR: it's the exact same for the PS4 Pro. But wait, there's more! Apparently the Xbox One and Xbox One S will also retain the 60FPS parameter, up-sampling to 1080p from 900p, while the base PS4 runs at 1080p at 60FPS: both support HDR. 60FPS even for base consoles is a huge win.

Stadia, unfortunately, isn't going to be hitting a target promised last year. Although Doom Eternal was supposed to be the flagship native 4K title for the service, the listing confirms that Eternal will be up-sampled from 1800p to 2160p on 4K displays (with HDR). In other words, it's not native.

Breaking this down, the PC edition will be the most impressive visually, followed by Xbox One X/Stadia, then PS4 Pro, then PS4, then Xbox One/Xbox One S. You can find the full list of specs for the console editions below, as well as the launch trailer. It's nearly here!

Console Features [Slayer's Club]

Japanese publication CoroCoro Comic has teased an incoming Switch title that it claims will push the performance of the Nintendo console "to its very limit." But any solid details on the new action game, said to follow in the footsteps of "Splatoon and Fortnite," were not forthcoming.

As described by Ryokutya2089, the CoroCoro article featured an image of a boy facing off against a monster in the midst of a sprawling metropolis. It is suggested that this city will be the battleground for a host of epic confrontations. Despite the bravado, CoroCoro - known for its enthusiastic announcements - didn't offer a title, developer, or release date for the mystery game. A manga adaptation is also said to be in the works.

We will keep you updated when further news of this new project surfaces.

CoroCoro Comic teases "new action game epic" for Switch [Gematsu / Ryokutya2089

As of this week, the Overwatch team is losing a key member of its development squad.

Michael Chu, lead writer for the series (and contributor to multiple Blizzard franchises), is leaving Blizzard after 20 years. In a heartfelt personal blog, he describes his two-decade journey at the company, noting how Overwatch was a "life-changing experience," and how it's impacted a lot of people across the world. The blog is more of a reflection, as he doesn't explain why he's leaving or what he's doing next.

I know you're thinking this whole time: wait, Overwatch has a story? While it's mostly relegated to the background, it does. Chu oversaw every facet of the game's narrative, from the overarching Omnic Crisis that informs all of the game's cutscenes to individual bits of character dialogue, to having his hand in multiple short stories.

I had the opportunity to visit multiple panels featuring Chu, where he was featured alongside of multiple Overwatch voice actors. Chu seemed to have real chemistry with the cast, as they openly talked about character beats, backstories and motivations for the vocal performances. Out of everyone I've spoken to on the Overwatch team, he was perhaps the most passionate member on staff and the most connected to the game outside of director Jeff Kaplan.

It remains to be seen how much of an impact he had on the narrative direction of Overwatch 2, or if Blizzard will be keeping the story vague in spite of the larger focus on PVE.

Michael Chu [Twitter]

The LEGO Group is partnering with Nintendo to produce a new range of playsets based on the latter's iconic mascot, Mario. As teased back on "MAR10 day," the new sets will combine electronic interactivity with classic LEGO creativity to realise a neat blending of both toy and video game.

LEGO Super Mario will let kids build physical "levels" out of the playsets, and then guide an electronic Lego recreation of Mario himself through their homespun worlds, collecting coins, bashing question blocks, and beating baddies. Conceptually it's a little tricky to describe, but fortunately The LEGO Group has released the following video, which offers an example of this unique idea in action.

Yesterday we received the inevitable news that The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) was cancelling E3 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In the aftermath of the announcement, several publishers have reportedly started looking into alternate plans on how to showcase their new wares to press and the public.

According to Kotaku's Jason Schreier, Warner Bros. Interactive had huge plans for this year's E3, including reveals based on million-dollar franchises such as Batman and Harry Potter. Schreier notes that Warner Bros. was even considering holding its very own press conference at the event, such was the magnitude of the reveals the publisher had planned.

Alongside Warner Bros. other industry giants - such as Microsoft and Ubisoft - also had important lineups for E3 2020. The former intended to showcase its Xbox Series X hardware, (ahead of the platform's launch later this year), while Ubisoft has a whole run of major releases on the horizon, such as Watch Dogs: Legion, Gods & Monsters, Rainbow Six: Quarantine, and a new Assassin's Creed title.

CD Projekt RED has confirmed that there are more Witcher adventures on the way. The next entry in the sword 'n' sorcery 'n' sexy adventure series will begin development once CDPR's incoming epic Cyberpunk 2077 finally hits the shelves.

Speaking in a meeting with the press, CDPR President and CEO Adam Kicinski said that the team already has a "relatively clear concept" for the next Witcher title, but intriguingly noted that it would not be titled "The Witcher 4." Coupled with comments that the title would be worked on by a smaller team at the Polish studio, it seems to imply that the next Witcher title is likely to be a spin-off, rather than a fully-fledged sequel. The majority of CDPR staff will be continuing their post-launch work on Cyberpunk 2077.

Interestingly, Kicinski also said that now CDPR has two major universes to explore, it is likely that the studio will only be producing either Witcher or Cyberpunk games going forward. Here's hoping that people take to the latter as enthusiastically as they have the former. Given how great Cyberpunk 2077 is looking so far, that seems a safe bet.

Cyberpunk 2077 launches September 17 on PS4, PC, Xbox One and Stadia.

A new Witcher game will begin development after Cyberpunk 2077 [GamesRadar+]

I've previously written about my love of the design and architecture podcast 99% Invisible here when it pertains to gaming. Last time, it was when they signal-boosted a Smithsonian podcast for an episode about the ET landfill, but this week it was much more destructive, at least in a societal way.

At the tail end of their episode about maps and how they are made and used, there was a story about how Pokemon Go – a game that uses interactive maps (just go with it) – caused such an influx of players into a small art town in Virginia that it has permanently upset the economy there. The town, Occoquan, is similar to one you might have been forced to go to on a weekend trip with your parents when you were young.

Located less than an hour south of Washington, D.C., the streets of Occoquan used to be filled with rich folks who were looking to spend money on art and boutique items at premium prices. But with the release of Pokemon Go in 2016, the formerly quaint town became a major Pokemaster destination with its historic buildings and multitude of in-game gyms. While some businesses enjoyed the increased and diverse clientele, others weren't as pleased.

According to an artist interviewed for the podcast, the people that used to come to Occoquan didn't enjoy sharing space with the throngs of Pokemon Go players that flooded the town, so they stopped coming. Without the "certain kind of clientele," local businesses that relied on that customer base faced a dilemma: adapt or die. Some artists started changing their work and started making more easily reproduced art that could be bought for cheaper, but others didn't. In the end, Occoquan was (apparently) forever changed. If it's starting to feel a little bit like Hot Fuzz, then you aren't wrong, just hopefully without the armed militia.

Imagine a Peggle-like puzzle game with fantasy character classes, RPG quests, elite monsters, and a one-more-run roguelike hook. Actually, you don't have to – that game exists! It's called Roundguard.

After popping up at conventions in 2019 including PAX's Indie Megabooth and MomoCon's indie showcase, Roundguard is hoping to slide into our jam-packed March gaming schedule (if there's any room left whatsoever). The bouncy dungeon-crawler is out for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Steam on March 13, 2020, with a PS4 version and "one more unannounced platform" coming soon.

The trailer tells me almost everything I need to know – "Peggle with character stats" is a pretty enticing pitch – so I'll just add that yes, there is permadeath. Once you run out of HP, "you'll have a chance to bring a special trinket with you on your next run to help even the odds. The more gold you grab before dying, the better your chances to collect one of the most powerful trinkets for your next run."

I particularly like that you have some action-oriented abilities in Roundguard, so it isn't just a matter of painstakingly lining up that initial pachinko shot and then passively watching your fate unfold.

How's your vault holding up? Chances are you've neglected your duties as Overseer, leading to a vault filled with starved dwellers and radroach infestations. Five years is a long time to be responsible for the well-being of a whole community!

There's a good chance you'll get a fresh start. According to Pocket Gamer, Bethesda is gearing up to release Fallout Shelter Online on both iOS and Android. This isn't a sequel so much as an expanded version of the original. More specifically, it's a localized take on the game that launched in China in 2017.

Fallout Shelter Online has a more fleshed-out campaign that takes your character outside the vault to search for the original Overseer. This venture leads to all sorts of familiar Fallout locations like Fenway Park repurposed as the settlement of Diamond City. There's also an online battling component.

However, the most marked departure in the Chinese version is a gacha component, which is a hero-collecting system where you build teams of companions to accompany you. Like most every gacha, it's hinged on rarity. Nick Valentine is given as an example of an extremely rare (and desirable) hero to collect.

On one hand, it's a more robust version of Fallout Shelter that aims to tell a more complete story. On the other, it's probably going to be a microtransaction wasteland. Fallout Shelter Online is expected to launch in late April. Then you can figure out if this vault's worth saving.

Kunos Simulazioni is hoping to reach more hardcore racing fans this year. On the heels of last year's PC release, Assetto Corsa Competizione is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on June 23, 2020.

Something to consider if you're a big GT3 championship fan (or you're just that into racing sims).

This latest Assetto Corsa title has weather conditions, night driving, and better mo-capped animations than its predecessor (the move to Unreal Engine 4 certainly helped), and there's a single-player Career mode if you aren't feeling confident about facing online rivals in sprint or endurance events.

As usual with these demanding games, realism and authenticity are the be-all and end-all. "Assetto Corsa Competizione is designed to faithfully recreate the performance and the driving experience of real Blancpain GT Series cars through a sophisticated mathematical model that accurately replicates tire grip, aerodynamic impact, engine parameters, suspensions and electronics systems that determine vehicle balance, as well as the influence of mechanical damage on the car's drivability."

Assetto Corsa is no stranger to DLC, and that trend will continue with Competizione on consoles. The game will launch at $39.99 on PS4 and Xbox One (digital and physical), and if you pre-order, you'll get the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Otherwise, the DLC will cost $14.99 as a standalone pick-up.

A lot of people have been waiting nearly a decade to finally play Phantasy Star Online 2. In those first minutes with the game, why not make things weird and dress up like a low-rent Sonic the Hedgehog cosplayer?

Sega's immediately monetizing Phantasy Star Online 2 when it comes west on March 17 with the open beta, and it's in the form of a $60 Sonic-focused founder's pack. Your character could wear this approximation of Sonic's look that's held together with a lot of tape. Throw the Sonic mask on to really nail the uncanny valley aesthetic.

That $60 gets you more than just the Sonic garb. It also comes with a 30-day premium subscription and a bunch of consumables. One of the more interesting perks are the five Ragol Memories which grant cosmetics from the original PSO (which can include costumes). Also, it's worth noting that a one-month premium subscription costs approximately $13 on its own.

It's pricey for what it is, but anyone who doesn't need to look like Sonic won't get gouged. PSO2 is free-to-play apart from the microtransactions. But, combining two of Sega's most popular franchises will take a few gold rings.

Here's everything that's included in the PSO2 Sonic collaboration founder's pack:

Nioh players all know and love Kodama, the little green spirits lurking around the world in easily-overlooked places, but in Nioh 2, you'll also want to keep an eye out for Sudama, the purple fellas with skull masks. You aren't meant to round them up. They don't need your help getting back home!

Rather, you're meant to trade with the Sudama. The game isn't immediately clear about this – it just says "it seems as though it wants something" when you try to interact with a Sudama – but they'll take your unwanted gear and give you something potentially great in return if you're lucky.

The next time you find a Sudama (and you've cleared out all the nearby yokai), bring up your equipment menu and drop a piece of gear you don't plan on using – preferably something as high-level as possible. Drop the gear with the Triangle button and the Sudama will scurry over, take it, and give something else back. You might get a weapon, accessory, or armor piece that better suits your build.

You can also drop purified Soul Cores and you might get a Kodama Soul Core in return.

There's no guarantee you'll like the trade – different Sudama like different stuff, and RNG can be wonky in frustrating ways – but I've been fortunate. I've traded weapon types I'm never going to touch and have gotten back a roughly equivalent version of my go-to, the kusarigama. You might get materials.

The lore is great, too. Sudama are actually Kodama who were corrupted by the Dark Realm.

If you ever wanted to step into the hilariously overpowered boots of millionaire industrialist Tony Stark - except without the money, fast cars, or self-hatred - then you might get the opportunity soon, with the revelation of an incoming demo for Marvel's Iron Man VR, leaked via the PlayStation Store.

The demo was spotted by one of those pesky-but-lovable database searching bots, in this case @PSNRelease, who were also recently responsible for outing Star Wars: Project Maverick. The demo will give PSVR owners a quick glimpse into the world of Iron Man VR, which sees heart-of-gold jerk Tony Stark taking on the anarchic and highly intelligent Ghost - who movie fans may remember from 2018's Ant-Man and The Wasp.

Marvel's Iron Man VR launches exclusively on PSVR May 15.

Some video games are eternal classics – just as fun today as they were decades ago. Others have technical or design quirks that aren't so easily overlooked now. And some games simply don't stand the test of time, even if you were there at the beginning and have unshakable memories and nostalgia surrounding them. Mortal Kombat 4 falls somewhere in the middle for me. It's wonky-looking, but fun.

Maybe you have a soft spot for Mortal Kombat 4, maybe you don't. Either way, it's nice to see the fast-paced fighter return on PC. Earlier today, GOG released a DRM-free PC version for a fair $5.99.

We've gotten to revisit Mortal Kombat 1, 2, and 3 countless times over the years, and they're not going anywhere, but I couldn't tell you the last time I thought about, much less played, Mortal Kombat 4.

If nothing else, I need you to see this screenshot. I need to share this moment with you.

The graphics are endearingly crude, and seeing "new and classic fatalities take on a completely different meaning in three dimensions" is a sight to behold in 2020. Remember the dramatic endings?

Mortal Kombat 4's newly-released PC port does have controller support, if you were curious.

It's been a looooong journey, but we're finally bearing down on the western release of PS4 mecha-themed anime adventure, Sakura Wars. Sega has released details of the reboot's various release editions, alongside a new trailer looking at the relationships the player can form with the RPG's doe-eyed cast of characters.

Like many JRPG releases, spending time and engaging in conversation with your battle buddies will forge deeper bonds with them, which can lead to friendships and possibly even romance. Using Sakura Wars' "LIPS" dialogue system, players can get to know Sakura, Hatsuho, Anastasia and Co. a bit better, which will unlock abilities on the battlefield. You can see this mechanic in action in the trailer below.

When's Spelunky 2 coming out? That's still TBD. But if we had a release date, I'd be counting the days.

Over on the PlayStation Blog, Spelunky creator Derek Yu shared a status update and spoke about a few new improvements planned for the long-time-coming roguelike platformer sequel. "Although we're not quite ready to announce a release date, we're getting closer and closer, finally getting to implement the deepest parts of Spelunky 2 that have been collecting dust in my notepad for years," he said.

As you can quickly glean from screenshots, Spelunky 2 is leaning into everything that made the perilous adventure concept so tantalizing – simple but nuanced controls, crazy "ripple effect" moments, and a tough but fair challenge to overcome – while focusing on the content variety and art direction.

"I think we've struck a good balance now, where the graphics are crisp and easy to parse, but the details still stand out enough so that you can easily soak them up as you play the game," Yu said. "Effects like lighting and liquids are more vibrant now, too, contributing to that feeling of a dynamic, living world that has been our goal since day one."

"One thing we haven't talked enough about yet is audio," he continued. "Eirik Suhrke, who worked on Spelunky 1, is creating a dynamic, multilayered soundscape that is much more immersive than the first game. Each area not only has its own unique musical theme, but every creature, trap, item, and surface has its own suite of sound effects associated with it."

The team intends to have "each run feel even more like a personalized adventure," so you can expect "a lot of obvious and non-obvious interactions with the rest of the world" and "more characters in the vein of the [trigger-happy] shopkeeper, who can help or hinder the player in unexpected ways."

Ubisoft Montreal has officially launched Rainbow Six Siege's first season of Year 5. Operation: Void Edge, which is available to download now on all platforms, not only brings two exciting new operators, but also a small selection of seemingly innocuous, but very important, gameplay tweaks.

New Attacker Iana is a Norwegian tech specialist who is taking time out from her literal galactic duties for a bit of down-to-earth head-popping. This new 2 Speed 2 Armour agent is equipped with a fully controllable hologram replication of herself, which can be sent dashing into danger for some full-body recon work. Stay away from electricity, jammers or bullets, however, or Iana's holo-self will be quickly dispatched.

At the other end of the spectrum, Jordanian Defender Oryx is less about the scalpel-precision technology and all about the brute force. This 2 Speed 2 Armour operator uses his overwhelming physical strength to simply burst through soft walls and barricades, arriving to every party with a bang. If that wasn't enough, Oryx can even leap vertically through open hatchways, perfectly encapsulating how sometimes the best defence is a good offence.

You can read more about the new operators in our previous Void Edge report right here.

You know the drill in pretty much every game that features some sort of "Devil Trigger" or "Rage of the Gods" mechanic (Devil May Cry or God of War respectively).

Typically you want to save this game-changing power for a tougher encounter, or to save your bacon last-minute in a pinch. But in Nioh 2, given that using it liberally helps you level the form up with its own skill tree, you'll want to forget what you know.

To trigger your Yokai Shift ability, you just need to press Triangle and Circle at the same time when your gauge is full (pictured below). From there you have access to a host of new abilities and temporary immunity (getting hit costs you gauge and turns you back sooner): typical Devil Trigger stuff. It comes in handy during boss fights to sort of sleepwalk through tougher phases, so in certain cases, saving it makes sense.

But when walking about levels randomly: make sure you trigger Yokai Shift every chance you get. By the time you reach the boss you might end up leveling it up, and trust me: you'll know when that obvious boss door is within reach.